Transcriptional Responses of Streptococcus mutans and Fusobacterium nucleatum to Coaggregation

The complex intra- and interspecies interactions improve the development of multispecies oral microbial communities. Cell-cell physical interactions, known as coaggregation, are important for the formation of dental plaque. Fusobacterium nucleatum is bridge-organism that could adhere to Streptococcus mutans, an important oral cariogenic pathogen. Here, the gene regulation responses to coaggregation between F. nucleatum ssp. polymorphum and S. mutans UA159 were studied by RNA-Seq. This study provided a comprehensive insight into biological and transcriptomic changes induced by coaggregation between F. nucleatum ssp. polymorphum and S. mutans UA159, and may represent potential targets to control polyspecies oral communitiy formation in biofilm formation.